Alternate Fates
by Wicket Wystri Warrick
Summary: We all have heard the Chipettes story right, but this time there story has a few changes to it. This story is with Alvin and his sisters and Alvin and Brittany are at odds with one of another again. But this time Brittany and her brothers have a rocky start with three new chipmunks and they don't like each other at first. Will they ever see eye to eye with the three new chipmunks.


**AUTHER'S NOTE:**

\- This is the CGI Cartoon Universe of ALVINNN and the chipmunks.

\- Age-wise, the chipmunks are 12 years old and are 12 inches tall.

\- Everything that is underlined is in sign language

I have to give thanks to: Vos Mos Amplio

* * *

"Ian," said Dave, "why on earth did you change the name to _that_? It has no taste!"

"Dave, I changed the name to something more…" Ian trailed off, searching for the right word, "snappier! Besides, who wants to hear a band called 'The Munks,' anyways? 'Cause it sounds so tired and oh so… so BORING and..."

"Alright, fine. How about 'Here come the Chipmunks,' instead. After all, they are chipmunks that _perform_. Is that one better for you?"

Ian rested his hand on the man's shoulder and clicked his tongue in disappointment. "Dave, Dave, Dave. Trust me when I say this. The band needs a **very** snappy name that people will want to hear and as the experienced _owner_ of JETT Records, I know what I'm talking about. And in a way Dave, I've seen my fair share of bands that have come and go that never really did make it. And yours, there's more potential to really go far and..."

It had only been a minute but Dave was already tired of the argument; it made no sense to draw it out because Ian was stubborn. "Alright fine, we'll do it your way. We'll call them 'Alvin and the chipmunks with the Chipettes.' But keep in MIND that I'm their manager and they're still kids. I don't want them going around the world singing all the time, yet. I want them to have fun growing up and have normal lives..."

"Dave, I wish you'd consider at least one tour for your kids, and it would help them sell more records and that translates into a lot of benefits to you, you being their manager and all. But I can understand why though. After all, you used to belong to a band called, 'The Screaming Caterpillars.'" A humourous look crossed Ian's face as he imagined a caterpillar screaming at the top of its lungs before it was eaten by a bird. "Back in the day, you were like some kind of a rock star genius. Had a ridiculous band name and clothes and everything."

With a surprised expression, David paused, thinking about what the man had said. "I'll consider one tour first and if everything goes well, then there could be more later on. But it WILL be a short tour next year during summer vacation. After all, the kids are still getting used to each other and Alvin's still..." The man heaved a long sigh as he massaged his temples because of his growing internal stress. "He's still not used to all of this yet and he needs to... he just needs more time so he can adjust. After all, I have to keep telling him that he has to keep talking more, and it's hard because he's gotten so used to sign language and defers to it instead of talking."

"Dave," questioned Ian. "I know its none of my business, but are you sure that Alvin and Brittany didn't get switched at birth or something? I mean... I know where Simon, Theodore, and Brittany come from because I've met Vinny. Boy, she's got some real spunk in her, and I do mean S-P-U-N-K spunk! But the question is where in the world did Alvin, Jeanette, and Eleanor really come from? It's like they just got dropped on to the face of the earth with hardly any records of their whereabouts or past. Got nothing on why Alvin's trying to keep his mouth shut."

"Beats me. I mean, I kinda DO know where Alvin and his sisters did come from, but I don't know _everything_. I only know what Miss Miller told me and that I'm to be their future guardian if something really bad were to happen to her."

"Ah well. But on to the next note, I'm glad you didn't keep your so-called magic act in for the beginning. After all, that was terrible, err-um… not to be shown to that undeserving audience." Ian facepalmed himself. "I don't mean that in a good way. I mean that the audience did not DESERVE it."

Dave grumbled disappointedly to himself. "**F.Y.I.**, the magic thing was only used as a distraction and nothing more. I myself still can't believe Brittany talked me into doing that! She even ran out on stage just to get everyone's attention."

Ian plopped himself into his chair and leaned back far. "You're telling me? I saw that trainwreck. She ran out there wearing a pink diaper with a baby bonnet on her head and yelled. 'Now David and I will do our magic act while everyone else gets ready for the show.' Laughter might be the best medicine but it nearly killed me when I saw that."

"Um Ian," Dave said as he looked at his watch. "I better go and check on the kids. They start in a minute."_ 'I wonder what's taking them so long.'_

"Say, Dave, Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Well, actually you — " Dave stopped talking when he saw Simon came running up to him with a worried look on his face.

"Dave! Y...y-your g...g-gonna h...h-have t...t-to f...f-find a w...w-way t...t-to s...s-stall." Said a very panicky, out of breath, sputtering Simon. "Don't care how the two of you do it. Tell them knock-knock jokes, sing, magic or even a puppet show. Don't care WHAT you do...! Just keep the audience busy for thirty minutes or so. We have a code **RED** emergency!"

"What?!" exclaimed Dave and Ian at the same time.

"It's Alvin, not talking or using sign language. He… he clamped his jaw shut and, and... I'm getting his sisters NOW." Off went Simon, itching, and scratching, apparently having begun breaking out in hives from being excessively worried.

Ian had long started looking for the exit, wanting to run for his life. "Dave, I think I need to use the bathroom..."

"Ian, you're not going anywhere. We're now going to make fools out of ourselves."

The man already looked defeated but was making a final stand. "But—"

"And no BUT'S about it." Dave interrupted. "In fact, you can stall the show by announcing that you're their uncle, for all six chipmunks. Just think, you'll get lots of publicity and media along with it. There might even be some small interview that'll help us **stall**!"

Ian could already see the trainwreck — it was happening all over it and what was worse was that he was now a part of it — he might as well make the best of it. "Fine! If I must, I must. And Dave, I do like the sound of being called Uncle Ian, but I hope that we don't have to keep on doing this on a regular basis for each show. It's kinda getting old. Really old."

.

.

**Fifteen Minutes Ago, In Different Fitting Rooms.**

.

.

"Alvin," said Simon. "You'll be just fine out there with us. Everything will be just fine."

"But Simon, I don't think I can do this! I'll probably just freeze up like before. The last time, I had had to be picked up and carried off the stage. Also, why the heck do I have to be the front munk?! It should be one of you guys. And not to mention, Dave had to work with me every day for four hours for the past two months just to get me up to par with you guys. I don't have as much experience… oh man, this is gonna be just like last time. Oh no, oh no, oh no—"

He was already spiraling.

"Alvin, please try to calm down," said Theodore. "The last time was our fault and... and we didn't know that you never been on a stage before."

"But you don't…" He brought his hands up, "just don't understand at all and I still wanna know who paid the doctors and my speech therapist so I can..." Before Alvin could even finish 'speaking' with sign language, he heard his name being shouted at him.

"Alvin," that came with a single shout that came from Simon and Theodore at the same time. "You have to keep talking," said Simon.

"I hate it when I'm being told to talk instead of using my sign-language. Also, my voice doesn't feel natural and feels very strange when I talk. I also worry that my voice will quit working on me and the person who paid for it will see that was all for nothing. Plus, all my life I've been a mute munk and, and..."

Alvin please, come here and sit with your brothers." Simon requested.

"Brothers?"

"You heard me," Simon insisted, "and quit pacing around and around in circles, you're making my head spin."

"It makes me kinda hungry," Theodore said suddenly as he eyed a bow of fake decorative fruit on the table. "Hungry enough to eat plastic fruit". Alvin looked at the chipmunk as if he'd lost his mind, but he only shrugged.

Simon shook his head. "I'm no doubting-Thomas. When he says something, I believe him."

"But it's plastic!"

(Meanwhile in the Chipettes room)

"Eleanor! Please be reasonable here."

"Brittany, I'm not some kind of a girly girl or a princess you know! Why on earth do I have to have all this junk on for?"

"Because I don't want my little sister to..." It finally slipped out of her, having been trapped in her mouth for so long. The words little and sister _felt_ right. "I just want you to look really nice when we sing for the whole town that apparently shut down with in twenty miles from here. And for our first real concert show as a group."

"We are going to do WHAT?" exclaimed Jeanette. "And, and, and, and how can you be so, so, so calm about singing in front of all those people, Brittany?" She herself was so nervous that she was beginning to stammer. "I mean, we never sang in front of so many before. Starting to feel nauseous… um… _urgent_."

"You really con... and we're going to..." Eleanor was starting to pace around and around until she saw some fruit in a large bowl that sat on a table. There was no question what she did next, and Brittany was horrified.

"Eleanor! That's not food, it's plastic! Spit it out! Good God, you're so like my little brother. Cuz he's a nervous eater, but this is just too much."

Eleanor hurriedly spat out the half-chewed fake fruit out of her mouth, rubbing her sleeved arm over her mouth. "I didn't know it was plastic at first, it just looked too realistic… it's like one of those hand-soaps that smell too good. Besides, I can't help it, it's nerves."

"Will both of you just calm down? And Jeanette if you really have to go then go already so you can stop dancing around. While you go relieve your self, I'll try to get Eleanor to calm down." And with that being said, Jeanette made a beeline to the bathroom. "Eleanor come and please sit with your big sister for a few minutes. I'll even redo your makeup the way you like it so you can feel more comfortable." It was at this point that she was really considering how much she considered these chipettes to be her sisters. "I really do consider both of you to be my sisters more than ever." _'I wonder if my brothers are having this much trouble with Alvin.'_

.

.

.

"There, all finished," said Brittany. "Ready to see yourself in the mirror, Eleanor?"

"As ready as I will ever be. I'm still not that into makeup, but I do love getting my nails painted as much as the next person. And my brother, he'll even get his painted from time to time just have some fun with us."

"Lemme guess, RED. Am I right?" With a smile that came from her new little sister, Brittany continued on. "Eleanor, I see you and Jeanette wear a sorta bell charm bracelet most of the time along with a necklace that has part of a medallion attached to it." About to ask her more about it, Brittany changed her mind. "On second thought, you don't need to tell me. You probably think I'm intruding into something that isn't my business."

"You're right. I was kinda thinkin' it, more or less," Eleanor admitted, "But I can talk about it. These are to our past and the bell charm bracelets; they were for my munt brother to wear on his ankles and it was a way for him to make some noise so Miss Miller could hear him when he came walking up behind her — he was SO quiet! My brother accidentally scared Miss Miller half to death one time and that frightened him so much that he ran and hid in the house." Eleanor didn't tell Brittany the real reason why Alvin ran and hid, but she was about to find out soon. There was also the reason why Alvin and his sister have always gotten dressed in total privacy away from all prying eyes that might start asking questions. "It took me, Jeanette and Miss Miller all day just to find him and when we did, he wouldn't even come out, not even for me. It... it was kinda heartbreaking."

Before Eleanor could even finish, she received a simple hug from her new big sister. "Ellie, I can understand how you must feel. I had a similar incident with my little brother when he was very small. In fact, the little twit hid inside his big teddy bear at the time and... never mind Ellie. I promise I won't tell anyone about what you said to me. But did he ever..."

"Believe it or not Britt, he loved them and didn't mind wearing them. At the time it was like a voice for him and this was waaay before we all even learned sign language together."

"You know Ellie, we could go on and on like this, but we do have a show you know. And well, just look at us and we're even starting to even act like real sisters. Talking and sharing. I Can't really do this with Simon and Theo."

"I know, you're right..." Before Eleanor could even finish talking, Jeanetta came out of the bathroom with a compliment.

"Oh, Eleanor. You look so pretty. Not too much makeup, but just right for you. But the hair, I think you look better with pigtails. In fact, Alvin knows how to do them just right for you."

"Wait, Alvin can braid her hair into pigtails?" Brittany asked, dumbstruck even though it was entirely believable.

"Of course he can, You've seen her pigtails before. He was the one who did them. Don't you also think that pigtails suit her more than wearing her hair down?"

The pink chipette nodded. "Actually I do. She does wear pigtails better, and it makes her even cuter at the same time. So without further ado, time for you to see how you look, Eleanor. Jeanette, I suppose you wouldn't happen to like make-up, would you?"

"I would, but only if it's violet or purple. Anything else and I could legally allowed to sue you for harassment."

Brittany raised an eyebrow in astonishment. "Um, love purple much huh? Besides, what's the big difference between the two colors? It's the same thing! But then again, I love pink and... nevermind."_ 'I guess one out of two sisters isn't bad – at least I get one sister that likes makeup as much as I do.' _"Come here, Jeanette, and I'll fix you up real quick." It didn't take very long for Brittany to fix Jeanette's makeup & hair. And the end result was perfect for Jeanette and she really loved it.

"Oh wow Brittany, I look so pretty. Thank you for helping me with my makeup and all."

"Your welcome Jeanette and..." Before Brittany could even finish, the door suddenly swung open revealing a clad blue chipmunk in a slight panic.

"SIMON! Can't you even knock first." With that being said, Simon closed the door and began beating on it before opening it again.

"! #$%^&*…" said Simon, itching and scratching constantly.

"Simon," said Brittany. "I don't speak gibberish and If you don't snap out of it soon, I'm going to put my pink lipstick on you."

"Why is your brother itching and scratching himself for," asked Jeanette.

"Did he get into poison ivy or something?" Questioned Eleanor.

"Is there a sudden out brake of something?" Questioned Jeanette.

Brittany was feeling a pang of worry from her proximity to her brother. "Simon! Will you just calm down _some_ so I can at least understand some of what you are trying to say? Eleanor and Jeanette, my brother only gets like this when he is excessively worried. And Simon, should I be concerned too?"

"...Alvin... clamped... won't..." was all Simon could manage to say.

With that being said, Eleanor jumped into action. "Brittany, you get your brother calm and me and Jeanette will get ours to calm down." When Eleanor and Jeanette came into the boys' fitting room, Alvin had curled himself into a tight ball in a far corner. Theo was trying his best to talk or at least coach him out and it wasn't working.

"Come on Jeanette and guys, can you give us a few minutes alone."

"But I..." was all Theo could say before Brittany cut him off.

"Come on Theodore, let his sisters work on him. I need _your_ help with Simon. Right now he's only speaking single syllable world sentences mixed with gibberish and you know that's going to be a huge issue soon. We can wait out in the hallway for a few minutes and they'll let us back when they are ready to." With that being said, Alvin's sisters entered the room and closed the door right behind them. That's when everything went silent in the fitting room and all you could hear was the cuckoo clock ticking through the door. It only took a few minutes before the door to open up, but it had passed like hours on the outside of the room.

"Ok guys," said Eleanor, taking her seat next to her brother's left side with an air of growing exasperation. "He's had a relapse. We've got him to calm down some."

.

.

"I'm sorry I made everyone worry like that. But my sister is right," said Alvin, looking at the floor and not at the others.

"Brittany," said Jeanette as she sat on her brother's right side, putting Alvin in-between his sisters. "You don't know where we really come from and this is a very big deal to us."

"Alvin please don't do that again. That… shut-down thing like you just did. As far as the show goes, it can wait 'cause it's way more important to us that you are ready. Maybe we did push a little too hard to get ready; that's our fault for not understanding. The three of us are used to all of this because we grew up doing it. How about a deal?" Simon offered.

"A deal?" Even he wanted to know where this was going.

"Yeah, a deal. The deal is, if you talk most of the day, we'll let you be silent for two or three hours at night. After all, I do err…um, the truth is, Theodore and I think of you as our big brother, and we want what's best for you."

"Deal? I can accept that." Despite agreeing, Alvin still had a thoughtful expression. "But me, your big brother? Really? You think of me as a big brother?"

"Oh for Pete's sake, Alvin," Brittany cried from where she was sitting between her brothers. "You've been a big brother for a while now. You've gotten all of my brothers' lunch money back to them, keeping the bully's off of them and even standing up for me sometimes against those stuck up girls. So if you wanted me to come right out and say it, you have my _permission_ to be their big brother from now on. I know what I said before, but it was different then. Just promise me... Nah, that's redundant. Heck, I know you won't stop being there for them, so just keep doing what you're doing."

He smiled and then Eleanor spoke up. "Alvin? I think it's time we told our story about where we even come from. After all, we only said bits and pieces of it, but not the full story."

Alvin then looked at Jeanette for an answer as if to see is she was in agreement with Eleanor. With a simple nod indicating that she did, he spoke. "Okay. I guess the timing isn't all that great, but I'll hear it out. It might help calm us at the same time, too. But before we get into it, there are a few things that the three of you need to understand that will be explained in the story latter. One, I like keeping my hair long while having a red bow on my low braided ponytail, so please don't ask me to get it **cut**."

Simon and Theodore glanced at each other before looking back at Alvin. "Okay…?" Simon muttered. "I won't ask."

"I know the three of you have always wondered why me and my sisters feel better about changing in the bathroom alone than in front of you guys. There's a reason for that and a few other things, and I'll show you why. Eleanor and Jeanetta have them too because they wouldn't move out of the way when they were trying to protect me from..."

"Have what?" Questioned Brittany.

Alvin got up and turned around. He lifted up his shirt to reveal his scars that were left from being beaten with a wooden rod. He spoke, "Take a long good look and if you want, go ahead and feel them."

"I don't," Theodore whispered as he stared in horror, "I DON'T wanna."

"They're real and Eleanor and Jeanette have them too. You two don't have to show them, though." But to his surprise, his sisters did and it put Simon, Brittany, and Theodore all in tears. They had no idea that their closest friends were hiding scars as horrifying as these underneath their shirts.

Brittany was the first to speak after seeing what they just saw. "A...A-Alvin, I will never, ever make fun of you again for wanting a girl's… a one-piece bathing suit. You were trying to cover your back?" Alvin nodded sorrowfully, and it stirred something in Brittany that made her want to act. "I know someone that can make you something to your liking. All you have to do is tell me what you want and how you want it to look. Then, I'll get it made for you!"

"It's okay—"

"No Alvin, I insist! After all, I did tease you for wearing a... and if I had known then... I already know your size, so the sizing won't be a problem for me. That goes triple for Jeanette and Eleanor. That's if they want better lookin' swimsuits, which I'm sure they do." With a simple nod yes that came from Alvin's sisters, Brittany continued. "I might as well just spring for everyone too, like Simon and Theo. All Marina Rodenchia has to do is get a few simple measurements off you two and nothing more than that." Just then, her two brothers whispered something in her ears and Brittany gave both of them a smile in thanking them for the support.

"Thank you, Brittany, and that would be nice to get. Also this to will be explained why. I actually don't mind wearing dresses as long as they are red… not PINK or hot pink. Or like the pink one-piece tutu that someone left for me to wear because _someone_ took all of my clothes that were in the boys' locker room when I was in PE practice." Just then Simon and Theodore both gave their big sister an angry look and Simon even mentioned that he would have a talk with Dave about Brittany. "Eleanor and Jeanette, is there something that you wanna add?"

"No, not really."

"I can't think of anything," said Jeanette. _'I've heard the name Marina Rodenchia once before. But when was it? Could we have crossed paths at some time once before?'_

"Alvin," said Simon. "I — or should I say — 'we', always see the three of you have some sort of a medallion. Or part of a medallion, more like. And…"

"And you wanted to ask about it but never did?"

"Exactly."

"It's okay, Simon. The ones we wear are just a duplicate of the original that Miss Miller has at home safe. I know the medallion has something to do with where we really come from. But I just don't know how yet. I know it's a bit weird how I can understand all animals and I know you wondered why I don't like going to the dog pound alone by my self. There's also how I have a photographic memory and how great my hearing is. It comes in useful… Remember that time when I got you out of someone's school locker and you asked me how? Well I heard all the clicks in the lock when I dialed in all the numbers. Comes in handy if even need to pick-lock locks, too, but that's just one of the things I've picked up over the years."

Brittany and her brothers looked at each other like 'how in the world can he do or know all of these things', and it was easily noticed.

"Simon I know school is importin and its important to have a well-rounded education, so you don't need to keep reminding me of it. And that too will be explained."

"What'll be explained?" Simon queried.

"Why I don't like school as much."

"That's pretty common, Alvin."

"Not that normal in my case." After receiving nods, Alvin continued. "I was born with a very rare throat condition called 'Tres Tria Mute Disease.' It's so rare that only one in every 950,000 is born with it. In the last century, though, I'm the fourth person in the world on record who's been born with the condition. It can be fixed with surgery, but it cost way over a million dollars to get the surgery to where he or she can talk and most can't afford that. Plus there's the cost of speech therapy that comes with it, and that's not cheap either. Because I was born with this condition, I was born with almost super hearing. None of that movie foolishness where you hold up a glass cup on the wall or on a door like how I caught you and Brittany doing to my bedroom door. Like really?"

"Yeah about that," Simon said with a huge blush of embarrassment. "We're sorry that we ever did that. Aren't we, Brittany?"

His sister was also shamefaced. "Y-yeah."

"She threatened to turn me into a some pink munk with pink fur all over me or turn me into a hairless one. I couldn't stand the thought of me looking like some pink hairless munk with a diaper, so I did what she wanted me to do."

"How come you didn't ask me to help," asked Theodore.

"First of all Teddy, I would have lost my shopping privilege for a month if I tried to..."

"Oh, that's why. You must really love going to the mall to shop. But still you have to bring be with you because that's what Dave told you for another reason, but didn't tell me why. At least we stop by at the Talking Teddy store and at the food mart when we go."

"And secondly, You're a sell-out, Simon," said Brittany. "I really didn't mean it, I just didn't want to do it by myself! But… he's right. I'm sorry that I ever did and said that."_ 'I even got caught by Dave on the second try. How he ever found out, I'll never know.'_ "But I did wonder for the longest time how you knew we were on the other side. Super hearing, huh? I wish I had it. Without the drama and trauma, that is."

Alvin continued, "My sisters and I came from a very far place from here. We've traveled halfway around the world to get to where we are at with Miss Miller. We came from Australia and were left on the doors of Miss Grudge orphanage when we were only two weeks old by Aboriginese tribes-people. And growing up there wasn't easy for the three of us. Ms. Grudge only showed my sisters how to use the toilet and not me. Cause she figured I was too dumb to figure it out. Jeanette was the first to figure it out, then it was Eleanor. I was... Jeanette she... It was hard for my sisters to even know when I had to go do to me not having a voice and I was late learning the process. And so between both of my sisters and Jeanette idea for a simple sign that she showed me. I learned the process of going. A bath to us was getting a bucket of cold water with ice cubes dumped over you. Our clothes were nothing more than but old brown rags with lots of big holes and as far as shoes went, we didn't even know they existed."

"Ms. Grudge, huh? Her name sounds really mean," Theodore observed.

"Yeah, she was a real piece of work. Plus she was mean to us three," Jeanette replied.

Alvin nodded. "At the time, we eer-um I mean. My two sisters always called each other sister and called me brother then. If I could have talked, I would have called them little sister and bigger sister because Jeanette was and still is taller then me. And Eleanor is the youngest out of the three us. Even though I'm the oldest, I still had to look up so it made since to me to call Jeanette that."

"Big brother," said Eleanor. "You still call... or at least me that still and we showed you how to mouth the words right so we know who you were trying to refer then."

"For some strange reason," announced Jeanette. "Everyone thinks I'm the oldest. Just because your taller than your siblings doesn't mean that you're the oldest."

"Brittany and I, we understand how you feel. Just because my sister sites between us most of the time, doesn't make her the middle child. In fact, Brittany is the oldest and I'm the middle child."

"How did you three know who was the oldest when..." Theodore stopped when he realized that he might have brought up something painful. "Sorry I should of never brought that up," said Theodore.

"It's all right Teddy," said Alvin. "The three of us will get to that soon."

Alvin continued, "We didn't have real names yet 'cause we hadn't met Ms. Miller yet. Miss Grudge would call me 'Dumb Munk', Eleanor was called 'Little Chubby' and Jeanette was called 'Little Clumsy.' And..." It was a bit painful for Alvin to say the next part, but he still said it. "And Miss Grudge would always punish me because I didn't behave the way she wanted me to be or when I couldn't talk. She... she always believed I could talk and tried forcing me to say something when I really couldn't. I...I-I still remember her lashings to this very day and my sisters would sometimes be forced to watch because she put them in separate cages then. I would always cry in silent with tears running down my face like water when she... She would use a wooden rod on me and then put me into a small dog-cage with a padlock. First, it was a combination lock that she always used on my cage — when my sisters found out the combination; my sisters helped me get out until she changed it to a key padlock. But we tried to make the best of it and we always had each other.

Miss Grudge was a really selfish caretaker, and I couldn't believe that she ended up running an orphanage. She made all the orphans sing for hours and _hours_ and hours. When they wouldn't get it right for her liking, she made them start all over again. It made Jeanette and Eleanor very careful not to be heard singing — they would sing and only sing around me. They always tried their best to cheer me up at different times."

Alvin continued. "But we also had help on the outside as well. It was when I was around two years old that something really crazy started happening and..."

"What?" Brittany cried, agitated by the sudden suspense.

"The animals started giving off sounds that I understood as plain as daylight to let me know when Miss Grudge was outside. Like signals, or an alarm. I could understand what they were saying when my sisters couldn't — all they ever heard was animal sounds. But to me, it was always was **words**. The one animal that we grew very close to is a kangaroo named _Wendy_."

"Wendy?" Simon asked in disbelief from where he was sitting, trying to calm down to alleviate his hives. "A kangaroo named Wendy?"

"What, you think a kangaroo can't be named Wendy?" Alvin demanded.

"I think you mean 'called' Wendy," Simon said, trying to mollify the 'munk. "You gave um… her, that name, so that's what she was called. And why Wendy?"

"Because Simon, that's what she told me OK!. Like I said before, I can understand all animals and yet I don't know why I can."

"You mean in the same way a chipmunk is called Simon? And remember, we're still animals to you know!" Eleanor remarked sarcastically."

"Touché."

Alvin shrugged. "Anyway, yes that is her real name."

"I think you mean 'was'."

"No Simon! The world 'is' because she's not dead yet and kangaroos can live twenty-fives years or more."

"Stop interrupting, Simon!" Brittany exclaimed before she looked back at Alvin. "Please, go on." _'Good God. Those two are starting to even ack like **real** brothers.'_

Alving stared at Simon for another half-minute, as if waiting for him to get his correction-prone ways out of his system. When he didn't do or say anything, he continued. "She was like a surrogate mother to us and would keep an eye on us in the daytime. She even brought berries for us to have when she saw that we didn't get to eat because of Miss Grudge starving us. But Wendy always kept her distance from Miss Grudge. She and the other animals didn't like her at all, and no one can really blame her."

"Alvin," said Eleanor. "You forgot to mention that me and Jeanette also helped you learn some schooling when Miss Grudge kept you out of the loop. We did that at nighttime."

"Come here brother," comforted Jeanette, now realizing that her brother was disappointed at himself cuz he forgot that part and she saw his ears move down. "No need for you to get upset about that; after all, that was a very long time ago. In fact, Ms. Grudge wouldn't even give me glasses to see. So I had to learn where everything was at and memorize it. So I stayed VERY close to my sister and brother so I wouldn't get lost. That's also why I have such a good memory for things. Our story started eight years ago when Ms. Miller was vacationing in Australia's outback. In fact, we were only maybe three? NO! Make that four years old then."

"Damn!" Brittany exclaimed. "That's a very good memory you have there."

"I have to admit it to," said Simon. "It's a little bit better than mine."

"I remember that it was when I was four," Jeanette repeated calmly.

* * *

AUTHER'S NOTE:

Well that's the end of the first chapter and I'm without a beta now. Vos Mos Amplio has asked me to find someone new to help me with my grammar. cause he will be busy doing other things. I hope you all like this story and If someone wants to be a beta for me. I'd really appreciate it a bunch.


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